Regardless of whether the A/C LED (1st ****) is on or off my A/C comes on when the fan is turned on. Has anyone had any issues with their A/C always on?

 

Turn off your recirculate button.

 

Thanks HummerGuy.

Recirculate = A/C. Seems very strange. Is that a "feature" or buggy behavior?

From the manual:

(Air Conditioning): Press the left **** on the control panel to turn the air conditioning system on or off. An indicator light on the button will come on to let you know the air conditioning is activated. When the system is on, this setting cools and dehumidifies the air entering your vehicle.

(Recirculation): Press the center **** on the control panel to recirculate air inside the vehicle and prevent outside air from coming in. It can be used to prevent outside odors from entering your vehicle and cool the air inside your vehicle more quickly. Press this button to turn the recirculation mode on or off. An indicator light on the button will come on to let you know the recirculation mode is activated. This is normal. Recirculation is available in the bi-level, and vent modes. Recirculation is not available, and the light will not come on, while in floor, floor/defog and defrost mode. If recirculation is selected in these modes, the indicator will flash three times indicating it is not available in that mode.

 

It's a feature, don't remember why but you're not the first person bitten by that button.

 

Iv'e found that it seems most American made vehicles label the recycle air button as "Max Air" indicating maximum A/C that is recycled in the vehicle. The Japanese and Euro vehicles tend to just label it as recycle which can be used with or without A/C. I like this option as I leave it on recycle in my Land Rover to prevent other vehicles exhaust from coming inthe cabin. Like from thestinker in front of you thats burning oil because his rings or valve seals are shot. [:@]

 

They do it to de-fog the windows in the wintertime since most people usually use recirculate to keep the air warmer instead of blowing cold air from outside of the truck inside the cabin. Every GM car seems to do that and to this day I think it's stupid. If you aren't smart enough to know how to defog your windows, don't make every car owner suffer.

 

In the 2006 HUMMER H3 Service Manual, Volume 1 (GMT/06-NH3-1), p.1-109 there is a paragraph within the section Heating and A/C Operation that reads:

The PCM will operate the A/C system automatically in front defrost mode to help reduce moisture inside the vehicle. The A/C LED will not illuminate unless the driver presses the A/C request switch on the HVAC control assembly. The A/C system maybe running without the A/C LED indicator illuminated when in front defrost mode or recirculate mode.

It goes on to list cases when the compressor would shut off such as too low or too high RPM, excessive torque, excessive coolant temp, etc. However, under normal driving, the compressor will engage during A/C, defrost, and recirculate.

Even though reading it and seeing it in action it just seems odd, and I would be curious why GM designed it as such.